Hydrogenation of the C–C double bond of maleimides with cultured plant cells

The cultured suspension cells of plants and cyanobacterium, such as Nicotiana tabacum, Catharanthus roseus, Marchantia polymorpha, Parthenocissus tricuspidata, Gossypium hirsutum and Cynechococcus sp. PCC 7942, have a potentiality to hydrogenate the C–C double bond of N-substituted maleimides to afford corresponding succinimides. Hydrogenation of N-phenyl-2-methylmaleimide by the cultured cells of N. tabacum, M. polymorpha and Cynechococcus sp. was highly enantioselective to give (R)-N-phenyl-2-methylsuccinimide.